A sheet processing apparatus for processing sheets such as marketable securities moves a sheet bundle supplied to a supply portion in a batch to a take-out position. The sheet bundle moved to the take-out position is taken out one by one starting from the sheet on the uppermost surface of the sheet bundle by a take-out apparatus and is conveyed to a sheet discriminator. The conveyed sheets are discriminated for the kind, authenticity, qualification, and conveying direction of the sheets by the sheet discriminator. On the basis of the discrimination results, the sheets are sorted and processed such as stacking and sealing.
This kind of apparatus is already put to practical use and the sheet supply apparatus installed in the supply portion of the sheet processing apparatus is equipped with an openable door. An operator opens the door, supplies a sheet bundle (for example, 1,000 sheets) to be processed, and closes the door. Then, if he performs the take-out start process such as pressing the take-out start button from the operating portion (console) of the sheet processing apparatus, the sheets are taken out one by one starting from the sheet on the uppermost surface of the sheet bundle at a predetermined interval.
The take-out apparatus used to take out sheets is often of an air suction method using a take-out rotor. To improve the processing efficiency, sheets must be taken out surely at high speed and the take-out by the take-out rotor is suited to this method (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-50053).
However, in the sheet supply apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-50053, there are the problems (1) to (3) indicated below imposed.
(1) Problem of operability: When an operator lifts up a sheet bundle (about 1 kg for 1,000 sheets) and supplies the sheet bundle to the supply portion in the state that he sits on a chair, the supply portion is desirably arranged in the neighborhood of the sitting position. However, if the supply portion is excessively close to the sitting position, he consequently approaches the take-out apparatus installed in the neighborhood of the supply portion, and the noise of the take-out apparatus for taking out the sheets becomes loud, so that there is a limit to approaching, and the operability is apt to be sacrificed.
(2) Problem of safety: The sheet supply portion is equipped with a door, and the door can be opened during processing of the sheets, and the next sheet bundle can be supplied. Consequently, the sheets can be processed continuously and the operation rate of the sheet processing apparatus is improved. However, due to opening of the door, a problem of safety arises that there are possibilities that the operator may make contact with the operation portion such as the take-out apparatus for taking out the sheets.
(3) Problem of noise: In relation to (1) mentioned above, if the take-out apparatus is arranged in the neighborhood of the sitting position of the operator, the operability shown in (1) becomes better, though the operator hears directly the sound of the take-out apparatus for taking out the sheets and a problem of noisy arises.